He denied a separate burglary on September 3, last year, in which a drill and charger were stolen.

Ms Masters added: “The stolen property was recovered, and the prosecution take the view it is not in the public interest to pursue that case in the light of Mr Hay’s plea to the other burglary.”

Hay was found not guilty of the burglary in Stockton Road. The court heard he has previous convictions for four burglaries, making him subject to a minimum three years under the ‘three strikes’ rule.

Andrew Teate, defending, said in mitigation: “Mr Hay maintains his account that he did not go into the house.

“He showed some remorse for arranging for some of the property to be returned. He is realistic about the inevitable sentence, but he did plead guilty so the court may feel able to give him the statutory 20 per cent discount off the three years.”

Judge Howard Crowson jailed Hay for 876 days.

The judge told him: “You were jointly responsible for this burglary, even if you didn’t go into the house.

“By returning some of the property and pleading guilty you have shown some remorse, so I am prepared to give you the statutory discount from the minimum sentence. But you should understand if you continue to burgle, the sentences will get longer and longer.”